Butter Spaetzle

From Chef ShaSha Gideo

Why this recipe works:

A homey cross between egg noodles and dumplings, Buttered Spaetzle is a slightly chewy, light, and buttery noodle dish that was actually fairly easy to make. Resting the batter before making the noodles was a necessary step. It allowed the gluten to relax and resulted in more tender spaetzle. We discovered that the noodles were quite good merely coated in butter, but they were best when crisped in an oiled skillet with shallots. The holes in both a potato ricer and a colander were too big to act as a makeshift spaetzle press. Instead, we poked holes in a disposable aluminum pan and set it directly over the boiling water

SERVES 6 TO 8

You will need a large disposable aluminum roasting pan for this recipe, Three tablespoons of finely chopped red onion can be used in place of the shallot.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped fine
2 tablespoons unsalted butterINSTRUCTIONS
MAKE BATTER Combine flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk milk and eggs until combined in medium bowl. Slowly whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Cover and let rest, 15 to 30 minutes.

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE BATTER Combine flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk milk and eggs until combined in medium bowl. Slowly whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Cover and let rest, 15 to 30 minutes.
COOK SPAETZLE Meanwhile, following photo 1 (at left), set disposable aluminum pan over empty Dutch oven and poke about forty ¼-inch holes into bottom; set aside. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and set prepared pan on Dutch oven. Transfer half of batter to prepared pan. Following photo 2 (at left), use spatula to scrape batter across holes, letting it fall into water. Boil until spaetzle float, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer spaetzle to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining batter. Pat spaetzle dry with paper towels.
FRY SPAETZLE Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir in shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add spaetzle and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp at edges, 5 to 7 -minutes. Off heat, stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The spaetzle can be made 1 day in advance. At the end of step 2, toss dried spaetzle with 1 tablespoon oil and refrigerate in airtight container. To finish, proceed with step 3.